9/25/06

I am sure more than a few of you have heard the statements (if you haven’t made them yourselves), “You have tight hip flexors” or “You have tight lats”. We all know in golf the “T-word”(tightness)  is like a death blow and leads to all sorts of swing problems. 

Now I am sure that most you don’t really care where your tightness comes from, you simply want it gone and gone pronto.  Let me give you some quick details on where a large percentage of this tightness comes from: 90% of it comes from your working environment and the faulty movement patterns created.  You see, a high percentage of us spend the majority of our day seated, the exact of opposite of what we do when we golf; stand. Our body adapts to the environment it is exposed to most (i.e. sitting) and this causes all sorts of problems when we decide to play golf. 

As I promised last week I am going to share a dynamic flexibility drill that will loosen dang near every trouble area most golfers run into.  The trick is to go through the progression properly, which is something most people, golfers included, don’t have the patience for.  This is why I am here to share some tips that will allow you to quickly, safely, and effectively progress through the drills so you can be receive maximum benefits in minimum time.

The drill is called bridging and will help you dynamically stretch your lats, hip flexors, abdominals and your shoulders, all while teaching you how to activate your glutes/butt. 

If you consistently practice this drill, it will help you minimize the negative effects that sitting all day has on your golf performance.

Check out the Bridge Sequence Video

Tips for making the exercises more effective:
•     SQUEEZE – your glutes/butt as hard as you can.  Some of you may have difficulty with this; that is why it is important to start with press-ups.
•    Keep your feet flat on the ground
•    Be stable and relax.  Only “stretch” into the drill as much as you are comfortable with, otherwise you will “tighten” up and it will become a counterproductive drill.
•    Reach your arms over your head as this will allow the stretch to access your upper back
•    When using the stability ball, allow the ball to rest and support the “small” of your back (aka your lumbar spine)
•    Breathe nice, deep breaths
•    When you have reached your full stretch position, don’t bounce, just hold for 3-5 seconds and then return to your start position.

Exercise Protocol:  1-2  sets of 10 repetitions, performed 2-3 times per week. .

At first, this drill may seem a little awkward and difficult; but that is likely why you need to work on flexibility in the area that the drill is working on.    Give it some consistent practice and I am sure that you will reap the rewards of added flexibility in your back and hips.

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Troy M Anderson
troy@bluecollarathlete.com
bluecollargolfer.com
Troy is a golf conditioning expert, located in Tempe, AZ. To download your FREE copy of his special report "8 MUST-KNOW Tips for Starting a Successful Golf Conditioning Program”, go to www.bluecollargolfer.com

The articles at GolfFitnessProducts.net are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct examination and exercise prescription by the appropriate health professional.  It is strongly recommended that you do not perform any exercise program without the consent of your personal physician.